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Front Page » Real Estate » Vote soon on Genting plan for 300-room Miami hotel

Vote soon on Genting plan for 300-room Miami hotel

Written by on March 21, 2017
  • www.miamitodayepaper.com
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Vote soon on Genting plan for 300-room Miami hotel

Miami-Dade commissioners should soon vote on a joint development at the county’s Omni Bus terminal and access to the Adrienne Arsht Center Metromover station in which Malaysian casino giant Genting plans a 300-room hotel over the bus terminal.
Miami-Dade’s Transportation and Public Works Committee on Thursday unanimously approved the concept from Genting subsidiary Resorts World Miami LLC and forwarded it to the full commission. It was a late addition to the agenda.
Mayor Carlos Gimenez wrote in a March 16 memo that the project includes a revenue-generating mixed-use development, expected to have a positive economic impact on the community, that promotes maximum use of the transit system; provides functional and aesthetic integration of the Arsht Center station and Omni bus terminal into the overall project; and upgrades or redesigns the Metromover station, including replacement of stairs, elevators, escalators, surveillance systems and flooring while enhancing the ability to see and pedestrian access.
Commissioner Sally Heyman said she was reading the analysis for the first time but, speaking as a member of the county commission, emphasized “it doesn’t get better than what we have – a win, win win [for Miami-Dade].”
It’s excellent, Ms. Heyman said, with an agreement that has the developer making payments to the county. “This is exceptional to all the partners and staff that’s been involved.”
According to Mr. Gimenez’s memo, the Omni bus terminal and Arsht Center Metromover Station, the development site, consists of seven contiguous parcels totaling 0.987 acres. The negotiated agreements for the development site with Resorts World – which owns the Omni across the street and the old Miami Herald site to the east where it had promoted what would have been the world’s largest casino – consist of a development and lease agreement as well as an easement.
“The easement is needed for construction-related development site ingress and egress,” the mayor wrote. In its proposal, Resorts World said it will also make numerous upgrades valued at about $22 million. Under the development agreement, Mr. Gimenez reported that Resorts World would submit all design and construction plans to the Department of Transportation and Public Works to review before starting work.
In addition to increasing density around the Metromover station, the project would provide substantial long-term revenue for Miami-Dade over the 90-year initial lease, with the developer paying $100,000 minimum rent per year through construction. Thereafter, Mr. Gimenez wrote, the developer would make a one-time $10 million payment to the county and then the greater of 50% of gross revenues from the retail portion or $300,000 per year.
In addition, the project in construction is forecasted to create 1,871 jobs and, once completed, 171 direct jobs. “It will also stimulate the creation of 100 additional indirect jobs and provide significant revenue to the county and City of Miami in the form of taxes and impact fees,” the mayor wrote.
Committee Chair Bruno Barreiro asked when the project would be completed, as he likes to “go to ribbon cuttings, not ground breakings.”
Transit Chief Alive Bravo explained the developer would have four years to begin and the department would be receiving funds right away that would be put back into the transit system.
Committee member Dennis Moss asked if commissioners could see conceptual drawings to get an idea of what’s happening.
Ms. Bravo showed a drawing and said she’d email copies to all commissioners.
It might have been difficult for the committee to see her drawing, but Ms. Bravo explained that the bus facility is currently outside. Under the plan, she said, Resorts World would build an air-conditioned terminal.

10 Responses to Vote soon on Genting plan for 300-room Miami hotel

  1. DC Copeland

    March 22, 2017 at 8:18 am

    Sounds great. Will they be building a garage above ground? Or one underground connecting the hotel site with the larger, future project on the water? You know, like forward-thinking Swire did with Brickell City Centre.

  2. marc

    March 23, 2017 at 9:19 am

    I don’t think this hotel tower has any connection with the resort hotel.

  3. Elliot

    March 23, 2017 at 1:39 pm

    I look at the picture of the Omni Terminal and I say “Wow, look at those gorgeous and magnificent coconut palms”. Nothing screams out that you’re in Miami more than an abundant group of healthy, flourishing coconut palms. These trees should be used more and more in any development and street enhancements in and around Miami. They make an authentic announcement that is not duplicated ANYWHERE in the U.S. The sight of abundant coconut palms say, “You have arrived. You’re in MIAMI’. We need to capitalize on this distinction as we build and progress forward.

  4. DC Copeland

    March 23, 2017 at 3:25 pm

    Elliot, one reason you don’t see more coconut palms in public spaces is because they can kill you. Unfortunately they have a tendency of dropping their coconuts and if someone is unlucky enough to be standing under said descending coconut, there are pretty good chances that person will be killed outright or at least injured enough to visit Jackson Memorial. The lawsuits following such previous incidents have taken the coconut palms out of the public landscape.

    • marc

      March 24, 2017 at 7:52 am

      Plus they barely provide any shade.

  5. Elliot

    March 24, 2017 at 3:38 pm

    I guess only beachfront municipalities like Miami Beach can afford to prune coconuts from the palm trees. They do an excellent job here in maintaining them. For those who can properly maintain them, they go very well when there’s an overabundance of concrete, asphalt and indistinguishable high rises. They are an enhancement to the landscape and scenery…..For those who can properly keep them maintained and pruned of coconuts.

  6. Poetry Lover

    March 26, 2017 at 11:16 am

    Get over it….. Palm Trees are beautiful; however the bus terminal is an eyesore despite the palm trees. As I once told a dear friend… there is only so much a Lieber belt can do for an ugly dress… get rid of the dress. This enhancement would go a long way. This may even deter pedestrians from walking or running out into the street from any just any point of the block be directing them to a specific exit near a crosswalk! Currently, once they get off the stairs, they run across the street from wherever they see fit. Ever try driving through 15th street? It’s like playing dodge the pedestrian that can only see where they would like to be on the other side of the road, and not the fact that they may be walking right into the path of a car. The way it is currently set up just doesn’t work well at all. It is not only ugly (not the trees just the depot), but encourages pedestrians not to follow any rules. Imagine that?

    Overall, this is a gift that will work well for both the city and Resorts World.

  7. Elliot

    March 27, 2017 at 12:51 pm

    Hey listen, I TOTALLY AGREE that the Omni bus terminal is an eyesore, along with being a timely and ridiculous sidetrack if you’re trying to get somewhere using the buses that have to utilize that stop. The Omni terminal should be razed and replaced with something more practical, especially when coordinated with Genting and it’s partners. It’s just that big graceful coconut palms are always an attention grabber and with “proper pruning of coconuts” should be used to grace more landscapes and buildings.

  8. Angel

    March 27, 2017 at 10:54 pm

    Great , it looks like Atlantic City , Bus stations beneath Casino.

  9. Roberto Rios

    March 28, 2017 at 12:17 am

    YES!!!

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